Published: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 2:29 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 2:29 p.m.

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“I shouldn't say this, because somebody's gonna tweet it, but yes, it is fun to be able to (cover college football) when your alma mater is there,” he said.

In a roughly hourlong talk to a full house at the University of Alabama's Ferguson Center theater, the '88 UA grad spoke about how his rise in the broadcasting world followed Nick Saban's “process” before that was even a known thing here.

“There's no magic pill,” Davis said. Over a career that began at UA and then-Tuscaloosa-based WCFT-TV, and moved through stations in Columbus, Ga., and Flint, Mich., before ESPN, he learned about the value of on-air repetition, toting cameras to city council meetings, learning to edit and tell a story.

“There's no substitute for repetition, developing a comfort on camera that hopefully comes across to the audience at home,” he said.

He strives for four Ps: Poise, personality, presence and preparation, and the last is most crucial, he said. On game days, he's not much fun to be around, owing to time spent preparing, going over notes on a board.

It's a work ethic he traces back first to his upbringing in the Shoals area, then to UA professors such as Jim Oakley, George Katz, Jeremy Butler, Gary Copeland and Karen Cartee, then to various bosses and mentors in TV. UA English professor emeritus Don Noble also provided a kind of off-beat support: After reading a well-written paper by the student, Noble called him back after class, and basically tried to talk him out of going into sports journalism.

“You mean you want to spend the rest of your life going to the Bessemer Little League banquet?'” Davis recalled Noble saying. “I said ‘Well yeah, as long as I can cover Alabama football, too.' ”

But no one walks into a station or newspaper and jumps to covering college football, he stressed, noting he developed “an appreciation” for things such as NASCAR and soccer, if not a love of the games, by being forced to cover them. UA taught him how to learn, he said, which proved a valuable skill.

“You have to be able to learn to do whatever,” he said.

In the Q&A section, Davis encouraged women broadcasters especially, noting that the strive for diversity has opened a lot of doors that might have been barred before.

While working on basic skills, young broadcasters should also study the veterans, he said.

Some of the best advice he received on the way up was from an old-school Detroit anchor named Bill Bonds. Davis had watched in fascination one night as Bonds, still on-air, casually reached around and scratched himself on the back. Bonds explained later: “ ‘Kid, let me tell you, nobody can be who they are on TV. But everybody can be a slightly exaggerated version of who they are,'” Davis recalled.

Although as a journalist it behooves one to be flexible, he said, as an on-air personality it's best to find what works for you and get in that groove: “Stay in your lane,” he said.

Many may try to discourage you, as they did him, he said. On first meeting Keith Olbermann, former host of ESPN's “SportsCenter,” he stuck out his hand to shake. Olbermann just stared at it and said “ ‘Run. Get out. There's still time to save your career and save your life.' ” Davis recalled.

Nine months later, though, when the show Davis was on had been canceled and his job was on the line, Olbermann spoke up for Davis after seeing him on “SportsCenter” at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night.

“‘I just watched the show. You should be doing it. I'll be in management's office Monday,'” Davis recalled him saying.

Some of the roughly 300 students, faculty and ESPN fans who'd showed up for the free talk wanted to know about his friendship with Lou Holtz, who works as an analyst on the network. Davis explained that Holtz, as a former Notre Dame coach, father of Notre Dame alums and devout Catholic, was naturally going to be partisan, while his own role was to remain impartial. Many of his co-workers are also devoted to their various teams.

“If people tell you they don't care, they're lying,” he said. “But there comes a time you have to choose a path. ...To go on TV and be the opposing cheerleader is not the way for me to go.”

Davis frequently works with Holtz and Mark May on segments called “Final Verdict,” in which he acts as judge between opposing viewpoints.

“I shouldn't confess this, but because I'm here among my Alabama brethren: Sometimes I vote against Lou just to watch him get mad.”

<p>TUSCALOOSA | Although he maintains an objective demeanor on air, ESPN's Rece Davis still bleeds Crimson.</p><p>“I shouldn't say this, because somebody's gonna tweet it, but yes, it is fun to be able to (cover college football) when your alma mater is there,” he said.</p><p>In a roughly hourlong talk to a full house at the University of Alabama's Ferguson Center theater, the '88 UA grad spoke about how his rise in the broadcasting world followed Nick Saban's “process” before that was even a known thing here.</p><p>“There's no magic pill,” Davis said. Over a career that began at UA and then-Tuscaloosa-based WCFT-TV, and moved through stations in Columbus, Ga., and Flint, Mich., before ESPN, he learned about the value of on-air repetition, toting cameras to city council meetings, learning to edit and tell a story.</p><p>“There's no substitute for repetition, developing a comfort on camera that hopefully comes across to the audience at home,” he said.</p><p>He strives for four Ps: Poise, personality, presence and preparation, and the last is most crucial, he said. On game days, he's not much fun to be around, owing to time spent preparing, going over notes on a board.</p><p>It's a work ethic he traces back first to his upbringing in the Shoals area, then to UA professors such as Jim Oakley, George Katz, Jeremy Butler, Gary Copeland and Karen Cartee, then to various bosses and mentors in TV. UA English professor emeritus Don Noble also provided a kind of off-beat support: After reading a well-written paper by the student, Noble called him back after class, and basically tried to talk him out of going into sports journalism.</p><p>“You mean you want to spend the rest of your life going to the Bessemer Little League banquet?'” Davis recalled Noble saying. “I said 'Well yeah, as long as I can cover Alabama football, too.' ”</p><p>But no one walks into a station or newspaper and jumps to covering college football, he stressed, noting he developed “an appreciation” for things such as NASCAR and soccer, if not a love of the games, by being forced to cover them. UA taught him how to learn, he said, which proved a valuable skill.</p><p>“You have to be able to learn to do whatever,” he said. </p><p>In the Q&A section, Davis encouraged women broadcasters especially, noting that the strive for diversity has opened a lot of doors that might have been barred before. </p><p>While working on basic skills, young broadcasters should also study the veterans, he said. </p><p>Some of the best advice he received on the way up was from an old-school Detroit anchor named Bill Bonds. Davis had watched in fascination one night as Bonds, still on-air, casually reached around and scratched himself on the back. Bonds explained later: “ 'Kid, let me tell you, nobody can be who they are on TV. But everybody can be a slightly exaggerated version of who they are,'” Davis recalled.</p><p>Although as a journalist it behooves one to be flexible, he said, as an on-air personality it's best to find what works for you and get in that groove: “Stay in your lane,” he said.</p><p>Many may try to discourage you, as they did him, he said. On first meeting Keith Olbermann, former host of ESPN's “SportsCenter,” he stuck out his hand to shake. Olbermann just stared at it and said “ 'Run. Get out. There's still time to save your career and save your life.' ” Davis recalled.</p><p>Nine months later, though, when the show Davis was on had been canceled and his job was on the line, Olbermann spoke up for Davis after seeing him on “SportsCenter” at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night.</p><p>“'I just watched the show. You should be doing it. I'll be in management's office Monday,'” Davis recalled him saying.</p><p>Some of the roughly 300 students, faculty and ESPN fans who'd showed up for the free talk wanted to know about his friendship with Lou Holtz, who works as an analyst on the network. Davis explained that Holtz, as a former Notre Dame coach, father of Notre Dame alums and devout Catholic, was naturally going to be partisan, while his own role was to remain impartial. Many of his co-workers are also devoted to their various teams.</p><p>“If people tell you they don't care, they're lying,” he said. “But there comes a time you have to choose a path. ...To go on TV and be the opposing cheerleader is not the way for me to go.”</p><p>Davis frequently works with Holtz and Mark May on segments called “Final Verdict,” in which he acts as judge between opposing viewpoints.</p><p>“I shouldn't confess this, but because I'm here among my Alabama brethren: Sometimes I vote against Lou just to watch him get mad.”</p>